LOS ANGELES, December 10—Like most major agencies, Golin/Harris International has found itself more and more of its largest clients across multiple offices and even multiple continents, creating new client service challenges. To meet those challenges it has named 18-year agency veteran Fred Cook its chief client officer, a new position.

Cook has been managing director of the firm’s western region and of the firm’s Los Angeles office. In his new role, he will be responsible for developing models for key client relationships and for new client service initiatives. He will split his time bwteen L.A. and the firm’s international headquarters in Chicago.

Says agency chief executive Rich Jernstedt, “Client service has always been the hallmark of the Golin/Harris brand. Having someone with Fred’s experience lead this initiative will provide our current clients with tremendous value and will drive the agency to explore new and better ways to serve future clients.”

Jernstedt says Cook is the ideal person for the role because in his role as gm in L.A. he has been responsible for nurturing many of the firm’s long-term multi-office clients, including Nintendo, Disney, Toyota, and Amazon.com.

“We need to ramp up to serve more large, global clients in the future,” says Cook. “There are a lot of things we could be doing better to position ourselves for that kind of business.”

Succeeding Cook as managing director in L.A. will be Judy Johnson, who has served as deputy managing director for the past two years. She has been responsible for the firm’s consumer practice, which will now be led by senior vice president David Stamper.

Says Golin, “Judy has been a driving force behind the L.A. office’s continued success. Managing the office full time is the next logical step and will provide for a very smooth transition for our clients and our staff.”

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